For the past six years, I have been playing drums, in jazz bands, rock groups, and in ensembles. Three years ago, I auditioned and enrolled myself into the rigorous NEC Certificate Program, which is known to be very challenging to complete. I am going to be receiving my Level 3 Certificate this year. However, other than this NEC Program, a few gigs done in Boston to raise money for charity, and to make some money myself, is all I have to demonstrate my passion for jazz.
Jazz drumming or any music really, is an extracirricular activity that is hard to show to colleges that you are REALLY good.
I want to show to colleges that Jazz is my number one extracirricular, that its my main talent as an individual; but I don’t want to major in jazz music. I need to know how I can portray this jazz passion to colleges in such a way that they understand the level of complexity I work with at this age, and how I use this to make the commnunity more exciting and pleasing. Currently, the accolades I possess just show that I do jazz, but don’t say anything else.
Some ideas I had thought about to make jazz a more serious passion for me and to show for colleges, was making an album, recording and writing jazz pieces, starting a youtube channel of me playing different grooves and styles, or throwing myself into rigorous jazz summer programs offered by Berkley and Brown.
The advice I can give is to pursue your passions, no matter what you think colleges will like. If colleges didn’t exist and you weren’t worried about admissions, what would you do? That is what you should do. I think you sound very passionate about jazz from this little information. Do what you want to do, and don’t worry about college admissions.
Are any of the ideas I had proposed in this discussion fit the jazz passion that I have?
Would making a youtube channel or recording an album show to colleges the passion I have?
Are you going to continue being involved in Jazz in college? Not necessarily majoring in it, but being involved on campus? If the answer is no, then don’t bother making youtub channels as you won’t be contributing to college life.
I would continue doing what you enjoy doing with jazz…they will see that you are committed to an EC.
Is there a way you can show leadership through jazz?
My daughter (graduating from HS this week) has been in her school jazz band since 6th grade. She does it because she loves it. She’s not going to major in it, but her college (Susquehanna University in Pennsylvania) offers a music scholarship for non-music majors! She will get a small yearly scholarship, but more importantly, free weekly piano lessons for one credit per semester. Even more awesome, three of the members in her jazz combo (different from the school band) are going to be attending the same school! That was coincidental, not planned.
All of the ideas you suggested are good. Just don’t spread yourself too thin. Concentrate on quality, not quantity.
Yeah man colleges look for commitment in ECs, and it looks like you’ve been doing a really good job of showing that you’re dedicated.
How about doing arts outreach to grade school musicians or audiences to introduce them to jazz? Maybe connect with an arts outreach group?
Couldn’t you submit a supplemental art portfolio for jazz to the colleges you are applying to? That would show off your talent.